


To Return from Death

by rage_quitter



Series: Dungeons and Dragons AU [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: 2spoopy!, Canon-Typical Violence, Dungeons and Dragons AU, F/M, M/M, Undead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2017-09-11
Packaged: 2018-12-26 08:05:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12054780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rage_quitter/pseuds/rage_quitter
Summary: They're lost in a tomb full of zombies, they can't find Genji, and the necromancer that's controlling the zombies has another friend... something much, much more sinister.





	To Return from Death

**Author's Note:**

> this au owns my entire ass rn  
> if you read Under the Rubble, this is in the same universe! it's in the series. this is before UtR!

The stone walls were ice, even through layers of clothes and armor. Jesse’s breath, as little as he tried to breathe, puffed out in tiny clouds. His fingers shook from cold and fear. 

The occasional soft crunch of bone and the squishy, wet sound of rotting flesh shifting and moving drifted through the frigid corridors. Other than that, it was silent.

Dead silent wasn’t an accurate term, Jesse thought in a moment of hysteria, as a scraping sound came from far too close for comfort. The dead were far from silent.

Across the corridor, with a hand shoved in his mouth to keep quiet, Lucio was crouched in the empty enclave where a corpse had once lain. Its bones were nothing more than dust now, dust Lucio did not seem keen on disturbing more than absolutely necessary. 

Jesse steeled himself and, sword tight in hand, slid one foot to the side. Moving very, very slowly, he crept sideways along the wall to the bend. 

He spared a glance at Lucio, who was watching him with concern. Jesse attempted a reassuring smile. He held his breath and peered around the edge.

The hall was empty. As he watched, however, he heard a shuffling movement and the clack of old bone. He kept still as a zombie came lurching down the next corridor, crossing past the one he was barely peering into. It dragged a leg behind it as it moved forward.

Jesse waited until it was gone to turn his head back to Lucio. He twitched his head and gestured for him to follow. Lucio swallowed and crept out from his hiding place. Jesse could have sobbed in joy, remembering that their noisy equipment was stored safely in the Bag of Holding, stashed in Jesse’s pack. 

Jesse held up a finger to his mouth in warning and jerked a thumb down the hall. Lucio looked. Jesse pointed to the hall where the zombie had come from. Lucio nodded and drew his rapier. 

They kept close to the wall and fairly low to the ground. Jesse moved first; he could take a few more hits than the bard. When they reached the cross, Jesse held up a hand and stopped. 

He peeked his head out and took a quick look. The zombie was still shambling aimlessly down the hall; the way it had come was clear. He ducked back, nodded, and the two scurried ahead.

Jesse’s heart was in his throat. 

With that system in place, the two stole through the tomb, following the leftmost wall. They kept quiet, and nearly ran face-first into a zombie once; Lucio’s quick thinking in casting a minor illusion of a moving shadow down the hall distracted it enough to let them hide.

They met a couple of dead ends, but kept to the left. They travelled for what felt like hours, and might very well have been. 

The zombies seemed to be growing in number. The movements of the duo slowed dramatically as they avoided pairs of undead that guarded passageways and stalked through the tombs. They were either getting closer to the exit, or…

Closer to the heart of the tomb. The thought put a spike of fear colder than the air into Jesse’s chest.

The two crouched, waiting for a zombie to go down the next hall.

Something flashed out of the corner of Jesse’s eye above him, and with no further warning, he barely heard the soft tap of something hitting the floor behind him at the same moment that it wrapped around his face.

Jesse was pulled backwards into the shadow. Only his own fear kept him from shouting into his assailant's hand--but the moment he inhaled, sharp in terror, his entire body relaxed in relief. 

Even masked by the dusty odor of long-rotted flesh and stagnant, cold air, Jesse would know the smell of Hanzo anywhere.

Hanzo must have realized that Jesse recognized him, because his hand retreated. Jesse turned, metal hand on the stone floor to balance himself, and surged forward to kiss him desperately. His other hand gripped the back of Hanzo’s neck as tightly as Hanzo’s own hand on his bicep.

Jesse didn’t pull back very far. The cloud of his breath mingled with Hanzo’s between their lips. He held Hanzo’s white eyes in his own dark, human ones with reverence.

It took a couple of seconds for him to remember their companion. Keeping his hand on Hanzo, he turned his head to Lucio. Hanzo must’ve grabbed him too, because the poor bard was sitting upright, but alive, and hadn’t made a peep. 

Lucio gave Hanzo an annoyed look, but his shoulders slumped and it became a weary smile. He looked behind Hanzo, then upwards, and frowned. Jesse felt, for the millionth time that day, a jolt of fear when Lucio mouthed a name.

Agony took over Hanzo’s face. He shrugged helplessly and shook his head. 

Jesse swallowed, though his throat was parched. 

Genji was still missing.

Jesse cupped Hanzo’s face. He tried to put as much assurance into one look as he possibly could manage. Hanzo squeezed his arm gently before letting go. The rogue looked between the two and mouthed, “Okay?”

Both nodded. Hanzo sighed silently. 

“What now?” Jesse mouthed.

Lucio’s fingers were tight on his rapier. He replied with Genji’s name again. Hanzo nodded in agreement.

Find Genji, and get the fuck out, Jesse thought. 

Easier said than done, and they couldn’t even say it without risking death.

Slowly, all three stood and crept to the edge again. 

They kept left again. However, this time, they could move faster. Hanzo took point, silent as a whisper, occasionally using his enchanted gloves and samurai training to climb up the walls like a cloaked spider and get a vantage point down hallways, since the zombies were too stupid to bother looking up.

If only they could be killed off without letting their master know.

They hid in another dead end to catch their breath. Hanzo’s hands felt too warm, even through their gloves. His breath steamed more than it should. His internal fire was trying to make up for the bitter cold.

Lucio suddenly perked upright. He pointed to Jesse. 

“I just remembered I can cast Message,” he said, voice soft. 

“Well, damn, that’s useful,” Jesse replied, a strange whisper to his voice that he knew was part of the spell’s effect. Hanzo looked bewildered. 

Lucio turned his attention to the rogue and presumably repeated the message to him. Jesse could not hear either of them. 

“Hanzo said that we’re probably close to the heart of the tomb,” Lucio told Jesse.

“Shit,” Jesse cursed. “That’s what I was afraid of. He have any idea what to do?”

He waited patiently, trying to read Hanzo’s lips. It was a little hard with the effects of the spell.

“He thinks that if Genji’s been captured, he’d be there. We should at least check.”

Jesse nodded. “We gotta be real careful. That wight and the necromancer are probably in there.”

Lucio relayed to Hanzo. Hanzo looked uneasy as he replied. Lucio winced.

“He agreed. But we can’t leave without Genji.”

“No, I know. The amount of times he’s saved my ass… Even if we die doin’ it, I ain’t leavin’ him behind.”

Hanzo leaned around Jesse to look back into the corridor. He gave a nod, and the three began moving again.

After some amount of time, hours, minutes--Jesse couldn’t tell--Hanzo threw out his arms to stop the other two just as the sound and smell hit Jesse. 

There were several undead just ahead of them, to the left. They smelled different than the dusty old monsters that had been roaming around before. These ones carried a much stronger rotting smell.

They were freshly dead. 

Jesse grimaced; they’d been told of the previous adventuring party to come here less than a week ago. It seemed luck had not been on their side.

Hanzo climbed up on the wall and cautiously peered into the hallway upside-down. He came down very quickly.

He held up both hands--the number of zombies out there, Jesse guessed. Six.

Both glanced hopefully at Lucio. Lucio rolled his eyes. With a wave of his hand, the sound of footsteps on gravel echoed down the hall across from them.

There were a series of grunts and growls and the clatter of armor and bone. Hanzo, Lucio, and Jesse flattened themselves to the wall. 

Four of the zombies appeared in the hall. Jesse held his breath against the reek of rotting flesh and looked at them with pity. An elf, two humans, a halfling. They still wore their adventuring gear, leather armor and robes still intact, their faces still mostly recognizable. They shuffled down the corridor in the direction of the illusory sound and around the next bend. 

“I can blind or deafen the other two of them,” Lucio whispered to Jesse. “But only for a minute. I doubt they’d be able to break it, they’re pretty stupid.”

Jesse nodded. “Whichever you and Han think would work better.”

There was a silent conversation between the other two. Lucio spoke to Jesse again: “I can deafen them and cast minor illusion again. If it works, they’ll go investigate and we can have a couple seconds to pass them and get inside the door.”

So this was the door to the inner sanctum, the heart of the tomb. “We gotta be fast and still stay quiet. There’s the other four. You got this, Lu?”

He took a deep breath. He handed his hat to Jesse and dropped to the ground, as low as he could go, nearly crawling. Jesse winced; the spell required him to see them, he guessed. He kept close to the wall and slowly, slowly peeked out. 

Lucio whispered something and ducked back. 

Jesse looked at him in confusion. Lucio gave them both a thumbs up and replaced his hat before turning his attention down the same hall. He flicked his hand again. 

Jesse didn’t see the illusion, but heard the zombies growl and shuffle forward. The three of them kept still as they passed by; a half-orc and another elf.

“Go, go, go,” Lucio hissed out loud this time, shoving the other two forward.

They scrambled, keeping as quiet as possible still. 

The door was large, metal, and emblazoned with some ancient battle scene. Jesse didn’t get very long to admire it. Hanzo pried open the door and Lucio slipped inside. Jesse gave Hanzo a smile as he followed the bard, and held it open for Hanzo to follow them in. It was heavy, and closed once Jesse let go. 

The hall was dark, narrow, but at the end, around the bend there was a light. It was a pale blue; probably magic. 

Hanzo reached up for his neck and the simple chain that resided there. Looped around the chain were a series of rings. The one he removed was misty white, like fog trapped in glass. He gave the two some semblance of a smile before slipping the ring on his finger and vanishing. 

It was time for the waiting game again, it seemed. Jesse leaned back against the wall. Lucio adjusted his coat and swung his rapier at the air. There was a look of determination on the halfling’s face that made Jesse ache. 

He really, really hoped Genji was okay.

A minute went by. 

Suddenly, there was a sharp cry. Jesse jerked upright, hand flying to Peacekeeper. 

_ Hanzo. _

Caution flew from his mind. He bolted. Lucio chased after him.

Jesse nearly slammed into the wall as he rounded the corner. He shot into the room with Peacekeeper drawn, sword in the other hand, eyes flashing brilliant gold.

The room was wide and round, with a raised stage at one end. On the raised floor, there was a black stone table. Sconces of blue flames lined the room, illuminating battle scenes etched in the stone and the empty sarcophagi that stood upright along the walls. It was bitterly cold.

Hanzo, visible now, was slumped over limp, held upright by two undead. Blood slowly dripped from his face, nearly black as it landed with tiny plops on the stone floor. He was being held on the lower floor. His breath was barely visible, even with his tiefling fire.

On the platform stood a tall man in black robes with a quarterstaff. He was every bit the stereotypical necromancer. Beside him was a humanoid creature with sunken, ashen flesh, eyes as black as coals with burning red pupils, wearing black armor with a wicked-looking sword in one hand. Smoke curled off the blade. 

The necromancer turned his face toward Jesse with narrowed eyes. “Of course you weren’t alone,” he said in an annoyed tone. “I had hoped that you had all gotten lost or died somewhere.”

Jesse’s thumb met the hammer of Peacekeeper. Slowly, he pulled it down. With a series of clicks painfully loud in the silence, he aimed the gun at the necromancer.

The necromancer angled his head in confusion. “Well, that’s an odd device.”

“You don’t wanna see what this can do,” Jesse threatened coldly, the words becoming mist in the air. “You have your little minions let him go or I’ll fill your skull with lead.”

The necromancer glanced at the wight. “Unfortunately, I cannot do that. I need something fresh for this ritual.”

Hanzo groaned, his face scrunching in pain. The zombies snarled.

Jesse felt a growl in his throat, but swallowed it down. 

“Let him go,” Jesse said. “Last warning. Let him go, and we’ll leave.”

“McCree,” Lucio hissed. “What about--”

Jesse spared a glance at him. Genji wasn’t here--they needed to go, now. He might’ve escaped and could be waiting for them already.

Lucio snapped his jaw closed with his eyes wide.

The necromancer scoffed. “I will let you two leave. But this one…” He took a step forward.

Jesse did, as well, keeping the barrel trained right on his head. “He comes with us.”

The necromancer stopped. 

He turned his head. “My friend,” he said to the wight. 

The wight almost grinned, its coal eyes glowing brighter. It stepped forward.

Slowly, it stepped down, off the platform.

Jesse switched his aim to the wight and prepared for it to come at him. 

The wight raised its sword.

Jesse’s finger tensed on the trigger.

Shadows swirled as the wight attacked.

Hanzo cried out in agony and black-red blood filled the room with the stench of sulfur and copper.

Jesse’s gun cracked at the same time that he shouted wordlessly in rage. Lucio’s gasp of horror was lost in the racket.

The wight cackled and withdrew its blade from Hanzo’s torso. Blood leaked down, dripping on the stone.

Shadow poured from the hole in the wight’s shoulder; a hole that was slowly closing up as the life was leached from Hanzo’s body.

“Hanzo!  _ Hanzo!” _

Hanzo whimpered. 

“McCree, I got him, I’ve got him,” Lucio said quickly. “Focus! Get rid of that thing!” 

Jesse heard frantic plucking at the lute strings.

Jesse’s vision was red. 

The wight raised its sword again.

“Don’t you fucking do it again!” Jesse roared, and fired. 

The bullet hit the monster in the chest. It staggered backwards with a pained sound. More of its shadowy blood seeped down its chest. 

The necromancer hummed. “Perhaps your device is indeed as powerful as you claim,” he mused.

“Shut the fuck up!” Jesse yelled, cocking the hammer once more. 

Soft yellow light shimmered from Hanzo’s torso and the blood stopped. He still trembled.

The wight was definitely not focused on Hanzo anymore.

It began to march toward Jesse.

He shot again. It caught the wight in the jaw, knocking its face aside. It snarled viciously. 

Lucio hopped away, skirting around the room. A bright burst of music rang out, and then, almost instantly, the necromancer began to laugh.

Jesse and the wight both froze in confusion and stared at the necromancer, who clutched his staff tightly, barely on his feet from the manic cackling.

Jesse turned to catch Lucio’s eye. Lucio was focusing on the necromancer as he played.

The wight was still staring in confusion.

Jesse fired again. The wight roared in rage and doubled down on him before he could move. 

He barely dodged out of the way, but felt the edge of the blade graze his arm. It was cold, like the blade was made of the blackest ice. He cursed and holstered Peacekeeper, swapping his sword to his hand. 

Jesse jabbed with the blade. It caught the armor of the wight uselessly. He tried once more, and managed to open one of the bullet wounds a little further.

This time, the wight didn’t miss. Jesse felt ice water injected into his veins as it cut into his arm. Strength immediately left his body and he gasped, knees going weak.

The wight grinned as its wounds slowly began to heal.

The necromancer yelled out and Lucio’s music stopped. 

The wizard spoke words Jesse had heard a million times before, and five bright white bolts came shooting out from his staff. Lucio yelped as each one slammed into him, knocking him to his knees.

Jesse saw the wight move, preparing for another strike.

Hanzo was barely alive.

The ice was burned away from Jesse’s body instantly. He turned brilliant gold eyes and snarling teeth at the wight.

The necromancer looked over at the vicious growl that tore from Jesse’s throat. His eyes widened. “No… no, how…”

Lucio looked over with confusion that turned to realization as he picked himself up.

“Back off. Last warning,” Jesse garbled out, his voice hoarse and deep.

The wight raised its sword.

Jesse’s hands were claws as he threw off his bag. The red serape, his hat, holster all tumbled to the ground as the hair on his body sprouted and his entire body began to grow.

The wight stepped back. 

With a roar, Jesse exploded into his beast form. 

Nearly a foot taller than before, sword still in his clawed hands, Jesse snarled at the wight. He bared massive teeth and his tail was stiff behind him.

“Perhaps we were-- we were hasty,” stammered out the wizard.

Jesse growled at him. 

The wight thrust forward with its blade.

The sword glanced twice off Jesse’s hide. 

Its coal-black eyes widened.

It wasn’t silver, and it wasn’t magic--the life draining bullshit wasn’t from the sword. It was from the wight.

As long as it didn’t use that, Jesse would be fine.

He stabbed forward with his own sword, but it dodged. Unfortunately for the wight, it dodged right into his claws. Jesse dug them into its armor and ripped. Part of the armor was shredded off. 

Jesse and the wight entered a violent, animalistic fight. The wight did not take much damage, but Jesse barely took any at all. He fought with claws, teeth, and blade, and tasted dry, dusty meat and what he could only describe as bitter shadow. His eyes zeroes in on his prey.

Suddenly, the wizard yelled out.

Everyone froze.

The zombies had dragged Hanzo up to the platform. The wizard stood behind him, holding a dagger to his throat with his other hand pulling his head back by one horn. Blood oozed from a broken nose and his eyes were barely open. 

“You will stop,  _ beast _ , or I will kill him.”

Jesse stared. 

The wizard smiled mirthlessly. 

Before another move could be made, something small and dark shot through the room. A dart jabbed into the necromancer’s arm. 

He dropped the knife and jumped back with a yelp. “What-- what the--”

He swayed and crumpled to the floor. The zombies rattled and followed suit.

The wight backed up.

Jesse snarled and stepped towards it again.

Something dropped from the ceiling onto the wight. A dagger jammed into its shoulder and it snarled in pain.

A bright, radiant light burst from somewhere nearby. The wight howled in agony, blindly trying to cover its face. The attacker that had landed on it backflipped away just as a glowing hammer smashed in the wight’s face. The wielder of the hammer attacked again, and the wight’s head burst. Shadow poured from the remains and an unearthly screech rang out as its body dissolved. 

The ninja that had attacked the wight rounded on Jesse with its sword before straightening in recognition. 

Jesse gaped in shock--a sight that must have been comical, with his wolvish face. Genji was alive, he was safe, and he’d brought reinforcements.

“Genji, wait,” said a voice that had Jesse whirling.

The two people Genji had brought were a man and a woman. The man wore a heavy suit of armor with a shield on his back, and the light was fading from his hammer. The woman was small, standing back by the entrance, with a crossbow in hand and a belt of potions and darts. She was masked and hooded.

Genji glanced at the woman.

“Your brother,” she said simply. 

Genji gasped sharply and dashed to the platform. Jesse was caught conflicted--Hanzo needed him, but he  _ knew  _ her, he knew that voice. 

She was dead.

Except she wasn’t. She stood here, now, and she was alive. She smelled alive. 

The woman began to stride forward. She put her crossbow on her back and began to pluck through her potions. “Change back and put your clothes back on,” she said without looking at Jesse. “I’ll need your help.”

Jesse sputtered.

“Lucio, was it? Close your mouth, dear, you’ll catch flies. I need your help.” The woman waved at Lucio to get his attention. He blinked and after peeling his eyes from the newcomers and his werewolf of a friend, hobbled after her.

The paladin looked at Jesse.

Jesse shuddered and felt the fur begin to melt away. His clothes weren’t completely destroyed, but torn up quite a bit.

The paladin’s armor rattled as he moved. “It really is you,” he said softly. 

Jesse looked up, startled, eyes wide. 

“Wh…” Jesse started.

The paladin rested his hammer head-down beside him and reached up to pull off his helmet.

Short white hair, one eye scarred. He was a massive, rugged, bearded human that Jesse knew quite well.

Reinhardt smiled at him. “It is good to see you, lad. I wish… under better circumstances.”

“I--I--” Jesse stuttered out.

Reinhardt reached down and picked up Jesse’s hat. He placed it on the gunslinger’s head. “Are you hurt?”

“No… I mean-- I’m fine,” Jesse lied. He scrambled to collect his gear and put on as much clothing as he could in as little time as possible. “I don’t-- how did you get here?”

Genji glanced over.

“Long story,” Reinhardt said. “She may need us.”

Jesse nodded and, almost in a daze, went up to the platform.

Hanzo was slumped on the ground, but they had moved him. Genji was crouched protectively by Hanzo’s head. Lucio and the woman were talking in soft Elvish. 

Jesse collapsed to his knees beside Genji and wiped some of the blood from Hanzo’s face. Genji leaned into his shoulder.

Reinhardt leaned over beside the woman. “Will he be alright?” he asked softly.

She nodded. “He’ll be fine, in time. Wights are nasty. It will take him a while to regain his strength.”

She pulled a vial of soft yellow liquid from her belt. “Hold up his head.”

Jesse moved quickly, carefully pulling Hanzo’s head into his lap. The woman tipped the vial into Hanzo’s mouth. 

Jesse gently brushed Hanzo’s hair from his face. A little bit of the color was returning, a gentle red hue under his gray skin. 

The woman looked him over before turning her masked face to the paladin. “Check on that necromancer, please,” she said. “He should be asleep for a while, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

Reinhardt nodded and loomed over the unconscious wizard. He kicked the staff aside and checked that he was alive. 

“Do you have rope, Jesse?” Genji asked quietly. 

“Bag of Holding,” he answered, shrugging his bag off his shoulders. 

Genji nodded and fished for it. After a moment, he pulled out a length of hemp rope and offered it to Reinhardt.

Jesse didn’t bother paying attention as the paladin tied up the necromancer. He trusted Reinahardt to ensure that the wizard couldn’t escape. 

His fingers trembled against Hanzo’s face.

“You’re together, then,” she said softly, finally breaking the silence.

He nodded.

“We shouldn’t stay here,” Lucio said. “As soon as Hanzo can move, we should get outta here.”

“I agree,” Reinhardt said. “It isn’t safe. And… they deserve an explanation.”

She nodded. “Can you carry him?”

Jesse hesitated. “Not easily, like this. If I shift, I can. Keep him a little warmer, too.”

He could imagine her grimace. “You can control it?”

“Yeah. ‘Course I can. I got a handle on it. Ain’t hurt nobody I didn’t intend to, and I ain’t gonna anytime soon.”

“I trust him completely,” Genji said, lifting his head. “He is no monster.”

Jesse didn’t reply to that.

She sighed. “Very well.”

Jesse and Genji raised Hanzo into a rough sitting position. Jesse unwound his serape and draped it over Hanzo’s shoulders. At least after his previous change, he hadn’t really bothered with putting on more armor and such. He did stuff his shirt in his bag along with his hat, belt, and holster. Genji took it.

The change now took a little effort. He tasted blood in his mouth as his teeth erupted, and his bones ached as they stretched and changed. The mechanical arm whirred and shimmered with magic as it transformed with him, albeit on a slight delay compared with the rest of his body. 

She stared at him; he was sure it was a wary look. 

Without looking back at her, Jesse crouched and, careful of his claws, slipped his arms under Hanzo’s limp body. He grunted as he stood and held Hanzo tightly to his broad, hairy chest. 

Lucio grabbed Hanzo’s bow. “I can take this. And the staff, I guess.”

When everyone was ready to go, Genji led the way. Jesse walked behind him, taking up as much of the hallways as Reinhardt did at the end. Lucio walked beside her between Jesse and Reinhardt. The paladin carried the unconscious wizard unceremoniously slung over his shoulder.

A few times they stepped over quickly decaying zombies. With the wizard out cold, his magic had stopped keeping them animated. Genji nudged them with his sword first to make sure and impulsively checked a few bodies for loot. 

Eventually they were leaving the tomb. Jesse could have cried at the sight of the stars and the warmer, fresh air. He felt a half-hearted wag of his tail as it was. 

They travelled a good distance from the tomb, back under the cover of trees. The smell of leaf litter, woodland creatures, and wood was calming. 

They found a clearing to set up a half-pitched camp in. The sky was perfectly clear, and the evening, although cool, was warm enough not to warrant tents. Genji started a fire with a few sticks and a word in Infernal as Lucio and the woman set out bedrolls and rations. Jesse sat awkwardly on the ground, hunched over Hanzo, who seemed to be less unconscious and more sleeping now. A concerned whine slipped from Jesse’s throat as he held the rogue close. 

The woman came over to him and knelt beside him. She did not speak, but took out another potion for Hanzo.

Reinhardt, meanwhile, took the time to ensure that the wizard was tightly bound, drugged, and gagged. He removed every magical item and Lucio offered him the Bag of Holding. Jesse heard them say something about taking the necromancer to the authorities in the morning. There was the town nearby, a few hours’ walk. 

“He will be okay,” the woman murmured.

Jesse nodded. “I know,” he said, voice warped by his muzzle. 

They stared into the fire in silence for a few minutes.

Genji sat across from them, and Lucio took a seat beside him. 

“So… you all know each other?” Lucio asked.

“Yes,” Genji replied. “From Overwatch.”

Lucio’s eyes widened.

“This is Reinhardt Wilhelm,” Genji said, gesturing. “Noble paladin of Torm.”

“At your service,” Reinhardt said with a smile, placing his fist over his chest. 

“And you… you were dead,” Jesse said, turning his face to her.

She reached up and pulled off her mask.

Her hair was grayed over the years, her brown face elegantly wrinkled. A black patch covered one eye, and under the other was her familiar tattoo.

“Life and death are not as concrete as you may assume, boy,” she said. 

“It was as much a shock to me to discover she was alive as it is for you,” Reinhardt said as he sat on her other side. 

“With all due respect, ma’am… d’you mind explaining what the hell is going on?”

She laughed. It was just the same as it was. “My name is Ana Amari, dear,” she said to Lucio. 

“Captain Amari?” Lucio gasped and leaned forward. “You’re a legend! Founder of Overwatch, one of the greatest marksmen of our time, with the eye of a hawk!”

“An eagle, actually,” Ana corrected with a smile.

“But… you did die. I mean, I guess you didn’t, but… every story said that you were killed in battle with Talon seven years ago.”

Her smile faded. “I wanted the world to think that. Very few people know I am alive. The shot that would have killed me took my eye and made me think about why I was still fighting. So I stepped down, and went into hiding. I have killed far too much.” She ran her fingers over her crossbow, over the old notches she carved in it. “But… the world is changing again. I cannot sit idly by while people I love are threatened.”

“I mourned you,” Jesse whispered. “We all did.”

Reinhardt cast his face down at the fire. Jesse had left just after her funeral. There had been no body. Reinhardt’s breakdown at the funeral stayed with Jesse all these years.

Ana looked pained. “I know. And I’m sorry. I felt… that was the best thing to do, at the time. I was wrong. I did not know how to find you, Jesse. I think I can see why.”

“We have been trying very hard to avoid recognition,” Genji said. He hadn’t been as close to Ana as Jesse had been, but he was still part of their strange little family back in Overwatch. 

Ana reached over and tapped her fingers on Jesse’s arm. “What happened?”

“That was the bite,” Jesse said. “Went back to try takin’ out Deadlock after I left Blackwatch, and the whole gang was turned. Leader had gotten himself turned voluntarily. When I got nabbed by ‘em finally… they don’t take well to traitors.” Jesse felt an itch for his cigars, or at least a drink. “You remember that mark on my arm.”

“Your tattoo. A reminder, you called it,” Ana said.

Jesse nodded. “They bit me, tore it off, and left me lost in the desert. I didn’t realize it was too late by the time I cut my arm off.”

Ana flinched, and Reinhardt looked at him with sympathy.

“Eventually made it outta the desert and started traveling. Tryin’ to get to the dwarves. Met Hanzo on the way; had no idea who he was at the time, though. He helped me out. Got a new arm from the dwarves and then… we stuck together. Ran into Genji again, miraculously. And then we met Lucio a little while ago, and we’ve become a nice little group.”

“How did you and Reinhardt get together again?” Genji asked.

“I searched him out,” Ana replied simply. “I wanted to let him know I was alive. But then… I stayed with him to help with a fight, and we haven’t parted since.”

“She’s wonderful in a fight. Just as she always was,” Reinhardt said.

“Not quite the same. I’m doing a little less of the killing, myself, now. I’ve learned alchemy.”

“Alchemy, huh? No wonder you got all them potions,” Jesse said. 

She nodded. “I… have been doing a lot of research. Some of it was gained during your stay with us, Genji.”

Genji tilted his head a little. “Really? I thought it was all magic, keeping me alive.”

“Mostly. There is still some medicine to it, and alchemy is a form of a magic and science combined. It’s complicated to explain.”

“Huh,” Jesse said. “It sure came in handy.”

She smiled. “Of course I have to come in and save you again. I thought you had grown out of this, Jesse. And not a single thank you?”

Jesse huffed. “Thanks, Mom,” he said with sarcasm. Softer, though, he added, “I’m really, really glad you ain’t dead. I missed you so much, Ana.”

She rested her head on his furry shoulder for a moment. “I missed you, as well, Jesse. I’m glad to see you doing… relatively well. You have a wonderful little family.”

“I do.”

“Aw, are you getting sappy, Jesse?” Genji teased.

Jesse bared his teeth in a mock snarl. “Let me be sappy, dammit, it’s been a hard day.”

Genji laughed. 

“We all survived, though. Thank the gods.” Jesse rested his hand gently on Hanzo’s face.

“Genji… your brother,” Reinhardt said hesitantly. “This is…  _ the  _ brother.”

Genji nodded. “Our reconciliation is a long story. After I left Overwatch and dismantled the Shimada clan, I met a travelling monk--a golem. He taught me a new way of life, and helped me embrace what I am now. I sought Hanzo out myself to tell him I was alive, and that I did not have ill feelings for him anymore. That I have forgiven him. I think he is still struggling to accept that, but… he is my brother, and I love him. And he loves my best friend. We have fought together side by side many times in the past few years. It is good to be with him again, fighting to protect people.”

“It is good to see you so at peace,” Ana said. “I’m glad for all of you.”

Genji reached up to pull off his mask. A bright smile overtook his face as he looped his other arm around Lucio. “And Lucio! Talk about heroes!”

Ana smiled. “I am quite interested to hear about him, indeed!”

“You know that wizarding organization, Vishkar?”

Ana made a face. “Corrupt bunch.”

Genji nodded. “They basically took over his village. Several villages, really! And he drove them out! He led a revolution!”

“I’m impressed. You seem a very influential bard,” Ana said.

“A revolution! Ah, and so young! You’re impressive, indeed!” Reinhardt agreed. 

Jesse let them all chatter on as he focused on Hanzo. He was definitely asleep, but didn’t seem much better. It had only been an hour, but he was still worried.

Jesse couldn’t hide the yawn he let out.

“You must be tired,” Ana said, glancing at him. “We can talk more in the morning, when Hanzo is awake.”

Jesse nodded. “Been a hell of a day.”

“You two get some sleep,” Genji said. “Ana, Reinhardt, and I can take watches. We were not in the fight for as long as you were.”

“You’re an angel, babe,” Lucio said in relief. “Thanks. So much.”

Genji leaned down to give him a gentle kiss before Lucio waved and went to his bedroll. 

Jesse carefully pulled Hanzo to his bedroll. He didn’t get into his own, though. Instead, Jesse focused on the heat in his blood and let it wash over him. He gritted his teeth as the change started again, and he shook out his entire body as he stood on four legs.

In his huge wolf body, Jesse laid down beside Hanzo, loosely curling around him, offering his soft fur and warmth.

He fell asleep to Ana’s soft humming and the crackling of fire and a painful feeling of familiarity.

**Author's Note:**

> come drop by my tumblr @sapphiccowboy  
> and keep an eye out for the next installment of this au! it's a big one~


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